Former sports editor (& SJ.com poster) arrested in connection with bank robbery

Re: Former sports editor (& SportsJournalists.com poster) arrested in connection with bank robb

I don't see anyone here defending him. I see people here being surprised. Feeling bad. Wondering why he got to this point. Remembering him as a good guy.

Big difference, Steno.

 

No, I do not choose to put myself in his shoes for a tremendously simple reason: I'd never rob a bank.

 

You don't know that. You don't know what will happen in the future and you don't know how low you may sink or how high you may rise.

 

I can understand why you folks might have some angst directed at me and, sure, maybe it is heartless not to have empathy. But, I simply have a hard time feeling bad for someone who did this.

 

Not taking either side (I've never met Mario), but if anyone on here in any other situation had empathy for someone who robbed a bank and ran from police, they would get shredded on here.

Just saying. At least recognize the double standard.

 

Re: Former sports editor (& SportsJournalists.com poster) arrested in connection with bank robb

I was trying to be a little more vague in my earlier post in a last-ditch effort to avoid outing myself, but Notepad has hit a nerve with me.

I don't know the homeless guy who lives under the bridge.

I do know Mario; I worked with him for several years in Orlando. At least, I know the Mario who was a helluva designer, a good journalist, a caring, thoughtful person, funny as hell, a good co-worker and a good friend. I miss that guy. I'm sad that his demons have taken over, and I hope he gets the help he needs.

Notepad, I'm guessing you don't know that Mario. I'm sorry you don't. If you did, I'd hope you'd think differently. That's why this is a more complex issue for some of us than simply "dude robbed a bank, he should sit in jail."

None of the above excuses what Mario's accused of doing. He's a good person who did a bad thing. He should be punished. And he should get help.

But the Mario I knew back then would not ever have hurt any other person. I hope he gets the help he needs to bring back whatever's left of the guy who sat next to me in Florida and kept me laughing on deadline every night all those years.

 

Understood. And I think empathy is not a bad thing. But to act like what he did was somehow less bad because he was a newspaper guy seems wrong.

I know everyone's saying he should still be punished...but I get the feeling that if he got counseling instead of jail time, everyone would be much better with that than if that happened to any run-of-the-mill bank robber.

And again, maybe that's a good thing. I don't know...just thinking out loud.

 

Re: Former sports editor (& SportsJournalists.com poster) arrested in connection with bank robb

Not everyone, IJAG. I think he should get jail time AND counseling.

I'm guessing for most of us who knew Mario, it's the first time we've ever known somebody who's robbed a bank. It is for me. And it's changed my perspective a little bit. I confess I've never thought much about bank robbers at all, except to note that they almost always get caught.

I suspect my perspective would be changed even further if it was my daughter or my brother behind the teller window at the bank that day.

All that said, IJAG, I don't think you're wrong, at all. My last two days would have been a lot better if I could have thought about Mario in the same way I'd think about any other bank robber. But I can't, and I won't. It IS different. Should it be? I don't know. But it is.

 

Understood, FNF. I'm certainly not trying to judge those of you who know/knew Mario. Knowing someone involved nearly always changes the way someone perceives something. What had been a faceless crime suddenly has a very personal feel to it.

 

I'm not judging anyone either.
But, let me put something out there for those of you who know Mario:

Let's say he gets found guilty. Then, let's say he serves, say, 8 years.
Then, in 2015 he gives you a ring when he's out of jail. Would you invite him to have dinner at your house? With your kids? Would you go out and have dinner with him? Would you return his calls? How would you handle any further relationship with him?

 

I don't, but in any other situation, it wouldn't affect my relationship with him if he proves to be the person I knew before it happened. If he is rehabilitated, our friendship is as it was. As for my family, he didn't harm anyone. He didn't molest anyone.

I feel once someone is punished for their crime, and it's something like bank robbing and not something mental or an illness like child molesting is claimed to be, then yes. That person is fine with me.

 

Guy was/is obviously having some personal problems.
I for one hope he sorts through all this.
And I'm glad as hell it isn't me that's going through such grief.